Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-03

with water and spanned by drawbridge
which when lifted makes the alace prac
tically impregnable to anything except
siege guns. AS we came, one-half of the
wide gates were flung open, and we passed
over the drawbridge and presently stood
gazing up one Of the most imposing, if not
the most imposing, roadways in the world
| 1t is hundred feet from curb to curb, and
on either side, not cramped and crowded
together, as in our European fashion, but
each standing in it's own grounds, and
built equidistant from and in similar style
to the rest, is series of splendid, single
| stored mansions, all of red granite These
| are the town-houses of the mobiles of the
court and stretch away in unbroken lines
for a. mile or more till the eye is arrested
by the g!ec;;es;:s vf5;on OF the Temple of the
| Sun that crowns the hill and heads the
| roadway.
AS we stood gazing at this splendid sight,
| of which more anon, there suddenly dashed
| up to the gate way four chariots, each drawn
by two white horses. These chariots are
| tWo-wheeled, and made of wood. They
| are fitted with stout pole, the weight of
which is supported by leathern girths that
| form portion of the harness. The wheels
are made with four spokes only, are tired
| with iron, and quite innocent of springs
| In the front of the chariot, and Immediate
| ly over the pole, is a small seat for the
driver, rallied round to prevent him from
| being jolted off. Inside of the machine it.
self are three low seats, one at each Side,
and one with the back to the horses, oppo-
| site to which last is the doorway The
whole vehicle is lightly and yet strongly
| made, and, owing to the grace of the curves,
though primitive, not half so ugly as might
| be expected But if the chariots left some
thing to be desired, the horses did not
They were simply splendid; not very large
but strongly built, and well ribbed I'D,
with small heads, remarkable large and
round hoofs, and great look of speed and
blood. have often and often wondered
whence this breed, which presents many
distant characteristics, came; but, like that
OF its owners, its history is shrouded in
mystery. Like the people. the horses have
always Deen 6htT0. EAe first and last of
these chariots were occupied by guards;
but the center two were empty, except for
the driver, and to these we were conduct
ed. Alphonse and [ got into the first, and
Sir Henry, Good, and Umslopogaas into
the one behind, and then suddenly off we
went; and how we did go. Among the
Zu-Vendl it is not usual to trot horses,
either riding or driving, especially when
the Journey to be made is short one; they
go at full gallop. AS soon as we were
seated the driver called out, the horses
sprang forward, and we were whirled away
at a speed sufficient to take ones breath,
and which, till got accustomed to it, kept
me in momentary fear of an upset. AS
for the wretched Alphonse, he chung with
despairing face to the side of what he
called this devil of a fiacre," thinking
that every moment was his last. Present
ly it occurred to him to ask where we were
going; and l told him that, so far as could
ascertain, we were going to be sacrificed
by burning. You should have seen his
face.
Monsieur" he called out to the driver
Monsieur le cocher. Have the bounty to
acc CT soaring Into space. I really must
leave whoever reads this to imagine the
SURPRISING glory Of these golden roofs
flashing when the sun strikes-fashing
like thousand fires aflame on mountain
of polished marble-so fiercely that the re-
Election can be clearly seen from the great
peaks Of the ra ge hundred miles away.
1t is a marvellous sight, this golden flower
upborne upon the cool white marble walls
and [ doubt if the world can show such an
other. What makes the whole effect even
more gorgeous is, that belt of hundred
and fifty feet around the marble wall of
the temple is planted with an indigenous
species of sunfower, which showed, at the
time when we first saw them, a sheet of
golden bloom.
The MAN entrance to this wonderful
place is between the two northernmost of
the ray or petal courts, and is protected
first by the usual bronze gates, and then
by doors made of solid marble, beautifully
carved with allegorical subjects and over
laid with gold When these are passed
there is only the thickness of the wall,
which is, however, twenty-five feet for the
Zu-Vendi build for all time), and another
slight door, also of white marble, intro
duced in order to avoid causing visible
gap in the inner skin OF the wall, and you
stand in the circular hall under the great
dome Advancing to the central altar you
look upon as beautiful a sight as the mag
inaJion of man can conceive. You are in
the middle of the holy place, and above
you the great white marble dome (for the
inner skin, like the outer, is of polished
marble throughout arches away in grace
full curves something like that of st. Paul's
in London, only at a slighter angle, and
from the funnel-like opening at the exact
apex bright beam of light pours down
upon the golden altar. At the east and
the west are other affairs, and other beams
of light stab the sacred twilight to the
heart. In every direction, white, mystic,
wonderful, open out the ray-like courts,
each pierced through by a single arrow of
light that serves to illumine its lofty
silence and dimly to reveal the monuments
or the mighty dead eight was also admit
ted by sliding shutters under the caves of
the dome and in the roof.-A. O..
Overcome at SO awe-inspiring asight, the
vast loneliness of which thrills the nerves
like glance from beauty's eyes, you turn
to the central golden altar, in the midst of
which, though you cannot see it now, there
burns a pale but steady flame crowned
with curls of faint blue smoke. 1t is of
marble OVERLAND with pure gold, in shape
round like the sun, four feet in height, and
thirty-six in circumference. Here, also,
hinged to the foundations of the altar, are
twelve petals of beaten gold All night,
and except at one hour all daY also these